'Hurt Worse Than People Realized': Two WWE Releases Linked To Salaries and Injuries

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t a post on Reddit), Braun Strowman and Dakota Kai were released because of high salaries and constant injuries. The report adds that Dakota's age was also a factor, and WWE expects her to ultimately wind up in AEW. The company released her anyway.

It is an interesting report if accurate. It would be easy to believe Strowman was among the more highly paid performers. But, as one Reddit user wrote in the comments section, "Considering the significant wage gap between most men and women wrestlers, I'd be really interested to see the amount Kai was being paid to make this justifiable compared to anyone else injured, and the insane amount of profits WWE just reported."

Could Strowman Be Back?

In a previous post, we mentioned that WWE might be open to working with Strowman under a different contract structure. During a Q&A session, Backstage Pass' Bill Apter revealed that WWE has kept the door open for Braun Strowman's return. He noted that the departure wasn’t bitter, and Strowman would be open to a short-term comeback if contacted in six months or a year. The biggest issue seemed to be how much he was being paid for how often he was injured.

WWE felt it wasn’t justified for him to have such a high salary only to be used sparingly. The company would be better off paying her for one-offs or limited runs, and staying in contact with him over the years versus keeping him on the roster full time. Dave Meltzer of F4WOnline.com also noted that Strowman “had not been moving well in the ring since coming back from a major hamstring injury, and one person there noted to us that he was hurt worse than people realized.”

As for Dakota Kai, that clearly won't be the case if she winds up going to AEW. And, if WWE expects her to do so, they must not have plans to use her again in the future or ask she work a lighter schedule for less money.